Anti-Corruption Commission of the Maldives (ACC) has stated the decision to close the investigation on the illegitimate oil trade conducted through State Trading Organisation (STO), despite collecting 66 boxes of documents on the case, is questionable.
ACC has recently begun reviewing the investigation carried out on the illegitimate oil trade conducted through STO, worth over USD 800 million, during the administration of former President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom. Former President Abdulla Yameen, who was the head of STO at the time, was accused of leading the black market oil trade overseas and had an investigation launched against him by the Parliament of the Maldives as well. The accounting firm Grant Thornton LLP UK was tasked with conducting the probe into the oil trade during the tenure of former President Mohamed Nasheed.
Speaking to PSM News, President of ACC Mariyam Shiuna revealed the commission has received and is in possession of the documents prepared by Grant Thornton. She said it is questionable why the past members of the commission had decided to conclude the investigation, despite collecting 66 boxes of documents from Grant Thornton which were forwarded by the Attorney General's Office.
Shiuna said ACC is currently in the process of reviewing the documents, adding a decision will be made very soon on reopening the investigation. She said the decision will be based on the level of information available in the documents.
ACC had closed the investigation into the case in May 2018, during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen.